Getting to Dominica?

I'm heading to Dominica in Feb and didn't realize until now what a pain it was to get there. Look's AA is the only choice and I'm stuck between a 1.5 hour and 40 minute (departure/return) layover in San Juan or 13hr layovers. Has anyone done the short layover successfully? I've never been to SJU before.

40 minutes is doable if......no lines at customs, your luggage arrives at customs quickly, no lines at security and you are quick on your feet. Usually one of these messes things up.
You can try LIAT but they are unreliable. 1.5 hours is very doable on both ends provided that there are no delays. You will have to run from your gate to the American Eagle gate.
I no longer have a single day option, I am forced overnight both on incoming and return flights. Good luck.

You can do LIAT (leaving island any time) which is cheaper, but they always seem to have some strike or the other going on and getting bumped or delayed is more of a rule than exception. There are also other small airlines that fly there from different islands, so for example if you can get a cheap ticket to St. Croix, then you could fly a local airline (like coastal air) directly to the little airport In Roseau.

If I were you I'd do the 13 hour layover. Stay overnight in Miramar, have dinner at Lima, and leave in the am. You may land up having to do that anyway if you miss the flight. You can count on Lliat to run late, maybe cancel the flight, and probablly lose your gear

I second the overnight stay. It adds to the trip time obviously...but better that than risking missing it and losing trip time vs. planning it ahead.

Plus unless you take the last trip into SJU for the day, you have some pad in case luggage gets misrouted on prior connections (it might catch up to you in SJU while you stay the night for your next day's flight to DOM). Although in my case, coming from DFW was almost always direct to SJU, then to DOM from there.

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Posted 23 November 2013 - 04:28 AM

Flight updates

SJU and WINAIR or LIAT, Eagle pulled out and Winair took the same stupid time slot as dictated by AEagle, making no difference whatsoever at all. LIAT departs an hour or so later so you could do it if you wanted to, go though SJU, i'd rather swim.

Jet Blue or whomever to SXM and AirBVI http://www.gobvi.com - avoid SJU altogether and can be done in a day if those on the west coast of the US don't mind red eye flights, no code share with Jet Blue yet, so you have to book on their site,

Out of Canada, ANU or BGA or SXM then LIAT (or air BVI) , give yourself at least 3 hours between flights in ANU or SXM, This will ensure your bags move across the tarmac either by themselves or carried in the former two.

Latest update http://www.citairways.com/ This was spoken about many years ago (2004/5) as a carrier for Ross U students, I'd met one of the owners and told them that Ross would be the tip of the iceberg. If people are traveling when Ross season starts/stops, then I forsee issues with people being bumped for students whining about no seats, but im an optimist.

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In anycase, we remain one of the top 25 least visited places in the world, and of course the hardest to get to in the Caribbean. But once you're here, it's worth it....